Karaoke
by Dolphingirl32173
Summary: A collection of Vampire Diaries song-fics. Multiple pairings, thought there will be a big focus on Damon/Elena and Klaus/Caroline. Rated for future chapters.
1. With Every Beat of My Heart

Karaoke  
DG32173

Sarah: welcome to a collection of songs in honor of the pairings in Vampire Diaries, though most of them will probably be based on the love between Damon and Elena. From the moment Damon and Elena met in the show, I wanted them to end up together. But there will be other pairings in here. So, I only own what I write. I don't own the songs. Please enjoy. Also, I _might_ include a chapter or two that doesn't have a pairing at all.

_**NOTE**_  
Due to a warning from a member of Eliminator, I will no longer be including the lyrics to the songs I listen to while writing these chapters. It seems that Fanfiction made an announcement back in 2005 that including lyrics can result in account deletion. So, to avoid this fate, you will have to find the song yourself and listen to it while reading the chapter. I'm sorry, but I don't want my account deleted.

**Song:** With Every Beat of My Heart

**Artist:** Backstreet Boys

**Album:** appears on a promo CD from 1999

**Pairing:** Damon/Elena

* * *

"C'mon, Damon," Elena begs. "It's just one song."

"You want me to make a fool of myself in front of everyone here?" Damon asks.

"I bet you're a great singer!"

"I am _not_ singing."

Elena's eyes glint with humor. "Are you scared?'

"Why would I be scared?"

"Well, why don't you prove your not scared by singing one song? Just _one_ song, and I will stop bugging you about it. I promise."

Damon sighs and sets his drink down. "You better keep that promise," he warns her before heading to the stage. He whispers something to the band then steps up to the mic. His eyes lock with Elena's as the music starts.

Elena's eyes widen as his silken voice flows out to her. She had _not_ expected a love song from him. Especially not in such a public place. She clenches her drink between her hands as she listens to his song.

Damon keeps his eyes locked on Elena's face, watching as she reacts to the realization that he was professing his feelings for her through song. He knows he is a good singer. He just hates singing. He can see Stefan in the back of the room, glaring at him. The brothers know that Elena has feelings for both of them, and that they share an intense love for her. But Stefan would never have the guts to get on stage and show his feelings for Elena through song in front of a room full of people

Elena takes a shaky sip of her drink. She has known for a long time that Damon is in love with her. But she had always chosen Stefan because she _thought_ she had met him first. But after becoming a vampire, a memory he had compelled her to forget had surfaced. _Damon_ had met her first, when she was walking away from the party to call her parents for a ride home the night they died.

Even before she became a vampire, her heart has been torn between the Salvatore brothers. Somehow they had known that before she did. But after she became a vampire, her feelings had heightened and sharpened, becoming more defined. But she had refused to believe what her heart was trying to tell her.

But listening to Damon's confession, Elena realizes that she can't keep doing this. She can't keep the brothers fighting over her heart when she knew who it really wanted. Stefan was here somewhere. She knew that. She keeps her eyes locked on Damon's. She has now made her choice. One of the brother's will be hurt, but she was hurting both of them worse by stringing them both along. She has been acting like Katherine. Time to face the truth and let her heart's choice be known.

Elena finishes her drink and sets it down. She knows this song. It's coming to an end. The power struggle between the brothers has to end with the song. She stands up and starts making her way through the crowd. She knows she will be hurting the brother her heart is not in love with, but that can't be helped. Best to end the fight over her heart _now_ rather than let it continue indefinitely.

Damon feels his throat tighten as Elena sits her glass down and stands up. Somehow, he knows she has made her choice. She had decided who she will spend eternity with. But who will it be? Him? Or his brother? Then she starts making her way through the crowd and he knows. He meets Stefan's eyes and the brothers silently agree to accept her decision. They will not try to force her to be in love with the one her heart doesn't want.

As the last notes of the song die down, Elena climbs the stage and hugs Damon, pulling him to her in a deep, passionate kiss. Damon holds her close as the audience cheers. They separate as the cheers continue. "I love you, Elena," he say.

"I love you, too, Damon," she replies, smiling.


	2. Anonymous

Karaoke  
DG32173

Sarah: I know it's a little OOC, but I liked this song and decided it _had_ to be Klaus/Caroline! Also, it's a _really_ slow song. To get the pace, you might want to Youtube it or download it if you can. When I was typing this up, I couldn't find a Youtube video with Garth himself singing it, so I suggest you try to download it or find it somewhere else on the internet. Slight AU.

_**NOTE**_  
Due to a warning from a member of Eliminator, I will no longer be including the lyrics to the songs I listen to while writing these chapters. It seems that Fanfiction made an announcement back in 2005 that including lyrics can result in account deletion. So, to avoid this fate, from here on, you will have to find the song yourself and listen to it while reading the chapter. I'm sorry, but I don't want my account deleted. Next chapter will be up soon hopefully. If only I can figure out what song I wanna use as inspiration.

**Song:** Anonymous

**Artist:** Garth Brooks

**Album:** The Limited Series

**Pairing:** Klaus/Caroline, mentions of Damon/Elena

* * *

Klaus sighs, running a hand through his hair. He has _never_ been the kind of man who gets nervous over a woman. But then, Caroline Forbes is not just any woman. A thousand years he's walked the Earth, and he has _never_ met anyone quite like her. Before he actually met her in person, she had been one of his options of vampire sacrifices when he was breaking the curse the Original witch put on him to seal up his werewolf side.

When he met her, he actually thanked a God he did not believe in that Damon Salvatore had chosen to save her life. A thousand years, millions of women, and only Caroline Forbes has ever knocked the breath he doesn't need from his chest. If he had written down all the qualities he wanted in the woman he would want to spend the rest of eternity with, he _still_ wouldn't have been able to create anyone as perfect as Caroline.

But there is one _big_ thing hanging in the air between them that is preventing him from actually getting a _willing_ first date with her: he had sacrificed her best friend in his ritual then proceeded to try to kill Elena twice more by draining all the blood from her body. Sure he _could_ compel her to forget that it ever happened, but that would be _cheating._ And normally he wouldn't be above cheating, but in the case of true love, or as close as he's ever come to it, cheating is _completely_ taboo. Then there's the matter of one of his hybrids being her love interest.

He looks at all the sketches on the walls of his room. All of them feature the vampiress he has been unable to get out of his head since he laid eyes on her. He had included himself in some of his sketches, but most of them feature just the lovely young woman who he loves more than anything in a thousand settings and poses. Art has always been a passion of his. But not even in the best of his sketches can he bring forth all the vitality and passion in Caroline.

He sends her a bouquet of forget-me-nots every Monday and Thursday, having the clerk sign the card "anonymous". She would recognize his handwriting, after all. She had once mentioned in his hearing that her favorite type of flower is the forget-me-not, because it symbolizes true love. He had been nowhere _near_ her line of vision, so she would not have known he had overheard her.

His heart, though dead and still, always feels like it will begin beating again whenever he is in her company. He had always scorned those who fall victim to love, even if they were his own siblings. But now he understands what it's like to be caught up in love. It's like being a fly trapped in a spider's web, only you _want_ to be eaten by that spider that you are so in love with.

Maybe one day he could make his dream of being with her reality. Until then, she'll only know that she receives flowers and the occasional trinket from an anonymous admirer. But, unlike conquests of the past, Caroline deserves to be courted and wooed as if she was a young noblewoman from the middle ages.

Sometimes, his passion for the woman is damning, especially since she doesn't even consider her a _friend!_ He can only take stolen moments in her company, knowing that she hates it the entire time. Hell, if she asked him to, he'd _give up_ on stuffing the cure down Elena's throat to use her as a human blood bag again. He'd stuff the damn thing down Katherine's throat instead! That little bitch has _very_ few supporters. In fact, as far as he can tell, only Elijah would object to Katherine being used like that. Elena, all of her friends, and even those Salvatore brothers would be _glad_ to see Katherine subjected to such treatment.

At least now he understands why someone who finds their true love would do _anything_ for that person, including risk death time and again. The Salvatore brothers are proof positive that that much is true: they have _literally_ laid their lives on the line to protect their beloved Elena so many times that Klaus is somewhat surprised that they managed to last this long. He almost feels sorry for what the brothers are going through, trying to get the baby vampire to turn her emotions back on after Damon used the sire-bond to turn them off.

Klaus finds it _highly_ amusing that Elena's precious friends keep failing to realize that a sire-bond _only_ forms when there are powerful emotions in the human _before_ being turned. They keep failing to realize that Elena had _obviously_ been madly in love with the blue-eyed Salvatore before she turned and just refused to admit it. They keep telling Damon that her feelings are _only_ because of the sire-bond, and the idiot actually believes them. Hate to say this, but sire-bonds only effect the _actions_ of the new vampire, _not_ the feelings.

Klaus smirks as he remembers a conversation he overheard between Caroline and Elena, from before Elena had her switch flipped. Elena had seen a bouquet of forget-me-nots on Caroline's front porch and asked her about them. Caroline had complained about not knowing _who_ sent them. She had asked Tyler, but he hadn't even known she was receiving flowers and trinkets until she brought it up. Caroline has absolutely no clue who is sending the tokens of affection anonymously.

Klaus sighs, gently stroking one of the forget-me-nots he keeps in a vase on his dresser next to her picture. One day, Caroline will know _exactly_ who sends her those love tokens. And one day she'll be _his._ Tyler Lockwood may be her first love, but _Niklaus Michaelson_ will be her great love. Caroline will be spending eternity at _his_ side, not Tyler's.

Until that day, Klaus will keep sending Caroline forget-me-nots and other tokens of affection with cards signed "Anonymous" by the clerks. Yes, until the day he coaxes her to be his, he'll be "Anonymous".


	3. That Ain't My Truck

Karaoke  
DG32173

Sarah: a song I listened to a lot growing up in the nineties. This is an AU where Elena is nineteen and still human. This chapter is from Stefan's viewpoint, so it's a bit depressing.

**Song:** That Ain't My Truck

**Artist:** Rhett Akins

**Album:** A Thousand Memories

**Genre:** Romance/Angst

**Pairing:** Damon/Elena, one-sided Stefan/Elena

* * *

I stare at my cell phone, silently willing it to ring. God, why isn't it _ringing?_ Elena couldn't really have chosen _Damon,_ could she? I guess I should explain. A month ago, Elena sat Damon and I down in the foyer the boarding house. We could tell it was a serious discussion she wanted, so we agreed. Elena told us she had powerful feelings for both of us and that the only way she would not end up just like Katherine is if she made a choice. She said that the only way to make a fair choice is if she dated both of us and examined her feelings for each of us. She said that if we couldn't agree to allow this to go on for just _one_ month, she would have to crush her feelings for _both_ of us and submit us _both_ permanently to friends-only category.

Neither Damon nor I liked the thought of being trapped in friend category when there was even a _chance_ we could win her heart. So we agreed, reluctantly, to both date her for exactly one month. She said that she would make her choice by tonight and she would call the one she is _in_ love with.

I haven't been living at the boarding house for about a year now. I rented a one-bedroom apartment on the opposite side of town from the boarding house. This past month of knowing she's been dating Damon as well as me has had me very glad that I don't live at the boarding house anymore.

Anyways, I've been waiting for my phone to ring for three hours now, my heart sinking lower and lower as the minutes pass. Finally, I sigh. I _have_ to know for sure, though the silence from my phone should be all the proof I need that she didn't choose me.

I grab my keys and pocket my cell phone before leaving my apartment complex. I climb in my Porsche and start the engine with a heavy heart. I take a deep breath before putting the car in gear and making my way to the Gilbert house.

As soon as I turn onto her street, I feel my heart shatter. That dusty blue Chevy Camaro convertible in her drive is more proof than I needed to see. I pull to a stop at the curb across the street, unable to bring myself under enough control to drive safely back to my apartment.

I stare up at the window to her room and see Damon's shadow on her wall. I can tell by her shadow in his arms that they're slow dancing. Even without needing to focus my senses, I hear the love song playing in her room. I see watch their shadows as he leans down toward her neck. I close my eyes against her moan of pleasure, wishing I could avoid listening in. But my vampire hearing, which I've always considered a gift, has now turned into a curse.

I briefly consider leaping through her open window and demanding to know what I didn't do that he did. But I don't need to see what I can so clearly _hear_ going on between them.

"Bite me, Damon."

"Plan on returning the favor? You know I _love_ feeling your teeth sink into me."

"Do you even have to ask? Drinking your blood while you drink mine makes it _so_ much better."

_God!_ I did _not_ need to hear _that!_ They've been sharing blood?! Few vampires share their blood with a human while feeding on them. And they've mainly done it with a human they plan on turning so that they could be eternal mates. I _never_ wanted this life for Elena. Perhaps that was part of the reason she chose Damon. She's the kind of woman who would _want_ an immortal life if her love was immortal.

The sound of teeth and fangs piercing flesh at the same time is almost too much to bear. I hear a feminine purr and realize that Elena _never_ purred for me. Damon lets out an answering growl of pleasure. I try to will myself to turn my car back on and drive away, but my body refuses to obey.

After what seems like an eternity, they pull apart. I clench my eyes shut as I hear him licking his bite mark to seal it and lap up the blood pooled around it. No wonder she's been wearing high collars this past month! She's been hiding his bite mark!

"You are _never_ going to get me to stop calling you kitten if you keep purring like that," he remarks after he fully pulls away.

"I don't even know _how_ I'm doing it," she admits with a laugh. _"You're_ the only one who has ever made me purr!"

I can _hear_ his cocky grin in his reply: "Good to know I'm the only one to have that effect on you."

I hear them kiss briefly. "I don't know _why_ I fought my feelings for you for so long," she says softly. "I feel _free_ when I'm with you."

"Oh? How so?"

I hear her bed creak and her startled laugh. "If you want me to explain, you'll have to stop that! I can't _think_ when you do that."

He chuckles throatily. "Oh really? I'll have to remember that. But, seriously, tell me what you mean about feeling 'free' with me."

"I feel like I can _do_ what I want, _say_ what I want, _act_ how I want, and you'll never think less of me for it. I feel like there's nothing I could do that would cause you to walk away in disgust. I'm free to be _me._ I'm free to be the girl I was before my parents died."

"Believe me, Elena. I've _tried_ walking away. But never in disgust. Rose and Andie were my attempts at moving on. But even before they died, I knew that my relationship with them would never be more than friends-with-benefits. You captured me the first time we met."

"_Which_ first time, Damon?" she teases. I snap my eyes open and stare up at her window, wondering what the _hell_ she's talking about. She answers my unvoiced question. "The _true_ first time on that road when my parents were coming to pick me up, the one you made me _forget?_ Or the one at the boarding house when I was returning Stefan's book?"

"Both, to be honest. Over the summer, I was trying to force myself back on track to the goal that had brought me back to Mystic Falls in the first place; I had felt a bond with you from the moment I realized you were human. I had _almost_ succeeded when you showed up at the boarding house and captured me all over again."

"Why _did_ you return the memory to me?" she asks curiously. "And why did you return the memory of the night you returned my necklace?"

"I knew that if I were to honestly deserve you, I couldn't keep your memories from you any longer. I _didn't_ return them to make you biased towards choosing me. I knew that if I didn't return those memories and you chose me, you would be furious at me when I do turn you. Compulsions placed on a human disappear when that human turns into a vampire."

"You _compelled_ me to not use those memories as a basis for choosing you," she says softly.

"I don't want to have Stefan saying I cheated if he ever found out I returned those memories to you on our first official date. And I felt like it _would_ have been cheating if you did use those memories as a basis for choosing me."

"Want to know _why_ I chose you and not Stefan?" she asks softly. I focus all of my hearing on her room. I _have_ to know. I _have_ to know why she didn't choose me.

"Only if you feel like sharing, kitten. I'm just happy that you _did_ choose me. I don't need to know why."

"Last night was when I made my final decision. The first thing that I did was look through my diaries from the first day of eleventh grade, when I officially met Stefan. I was startled to realize that _every_ entry from the day I met you at the boarding house had a _huge_ portion devoted _solely_ to you. Even on days when we didn't even come in contact, you took up a large part of my diary entries. I thought back on each day as I read the entries and I realized that I have _never_ felt more alive than when you were around." She chuckles. "You will _never_ believe how _jealous_ I was whenever I spotted you with another woman. Even when I _knew_ you were using them as a distraction from wanting _me,_ I was insanely jealous. I still don't understand _why_ I fought my feelings for you for so long. Everyone kept saying you were the 'wrong' choice, that you were 'dangerous'. But the truth is, you have _never_ hurt me anywhere _near_ as much as Stefan has over the past couple of years. You were always _right there_ when I needed a shoulder to cry on or someone to just listen to me as I ranted and raved about something. And Stefan was nowhere to be found. You always answered my calls on the first ring, while I often had to leave countless voicemails for Stefan after listening to his phone ring God knows how many times. Or _you_ would answer Stefan's phone for him when the ringing when aggravate you enough." She sighs. "You've always been there for me when I needed someone for whatever reason. Most of the time I wouldn't even need to call you. You'd just show up right when I'm about to crack from all the stress I've been under. After I cried on your shoulder or had a good rant, you'd whisk me off on a road trip to get me _away_ from my problems until I'm ready to face them again. Then you'd be right there beside me as I faced them, ready to step in and help if I even _appear_ to be in over my head." She takes a deep breath before continuing. "But there are three huge things that made me choose you. One is this bond we share. Jenna, Rose, even Andie told me they have never seen anything as powerful as it. The second is that you only left me _once._ And in your defense, you were tricked into leaving me. As soon as you realized that you had been lured away to leave me defenseless, you came rushing back and _promised_ you would never leave me again. And you _stuck to_ that promise. You _never_ walked away from me because you thought you'd be 'protecting me' by doing so. You _knew_ that leaving me would leave me with very little defense if something came after me. Most importantly, though, _you never lied to me._ No matter how harsh the truth was, you _always_ gave it to me. Then you _helped_ me _deal_ with it. Everyone else in my life has lied to me at least once. Hell, _Stefan_ lied to me more times than I care to count. But you _never_ did. I don't think you will ever fully realize how _grateful_ I am for that."

I sigh. Well, she just pointed out all the mistakes I have made in my relationship with her. There is nothing I can do to take them back. Nothing will change what I did to lose her. She's my whole world. But that's not my car in her drive. That's not me on her bed with her. She didn't choose me. And it's my own fault. I turn the car on and put it in gear.

But just as I start to pull away from the curb, I hear Damon say something that adds salt to the wounds on my heart: "You know, St. Stefan was parked outside for a while. I think he's leaving now. He's heard everything you just said."

And my heart shatters completely at her reply: "Then he knows how I feel and why he lost claim on my heart. Maybe he'll learn his lesson by the time he finds another girl to love. He'll be alone until he starts changing his ways. _No_ girl would ever choose a liar who would walk away at the least sign of trouble."

I drive off after that. But her words take root in my heart. She's right. If I don't start changing, I'll be alone forever. One day, I might find another girl to fall in love with. If I repeat my mistakes with her, she would also walk away. I sigh as I make my way back to my apartment. I can't drown my pain in human blood, much as I wish to. Elena would get pissed and put herself through hell yet again to detox me. But I _can_ get drunk. More drunk than I've ever been. It will numb the pain for a while.


	4. Come Wake Me Up

Karaoke  
DG32173

Sarah: I hope you enjoy. This is one of the _very_ few times I will be writing anything _remotely_ Stelena. Stefan's viewpoint.

**Song:** Come Wake Me Up

**Artist:** Rascal Flatts

**Album:** Changed

**Genre:** tragedy/romance

**Pairing:** Stefan/Elena, implied Damon/Elena

* * *

I sigh, staring at the antique amulet laced with vervaine I'm dangling from my fingers. It _had_ belonged to Elena. But she hasn't needed it since that night. I can just detect the fading traces of her scent coming off of it. It's been so long since I took it from her broken neck and soon her scent will be gone completely.

Jeremy and Damon _both_ shut down completely when they found out about her death. Jeremy came close to killing himself more times than I care to count. If it weren't for Alaric and I, Elena's little brother _would_ have died on countless occasions. Her rooms both at the Gilbert house and here at the boarding house have been preserved perfectly from the last time she stepped out of them. The gathering dust in either room is enough to irritate my nose and scratch the back of my throat.

I used to complain that I could never keep track of Damon to keep him under control. Now he's either one of two spots: her grave in her family's plot at the town cemetery or in her room at the Gilbert house. That's the room that _doesn't_ have any memories of Elena and I being intimate. I have to _shove_ a glass of blood into his hand everyday to make sure he doesn't desiccate in his despair. I keep waiting for him to reach the point of despair where he finds a nice sunny spot and slips off his ring so he can go to her.

And it's my own fault she's dead. None of her friends have spoken to me since the day we buried her. Alaric rarely contacts me, but only to get my help in the effort to keep Jeremy alive.

I sigh, closing my eyes against the tears slipping down my cheeks. The black cloud of grief and loss surrounding both Damon and Jeremy is so intense that even normal humans are sensitive to it. I'd give _anything_ to be able to go back to that evening and do it differently.

It had been our biggest fight ever. I knew from the moment I brought up 'that subject' to her yet again that this time would be different. 'That subject' being Damon and her feelings for him. It was an off-limits topic of discussion. The rest of our friends had long decided that trying to press her was a futile gesture. Hell, even _Damon_ had stopped pestering her about it. But, for some reason, I just _couldn't_ let the subject drop. So I pushed her buttons like only Damon and I knew how. I choke back a sob as the memory replays just as vividly as if it were happening now.

"_Elena, we need to talk," I tell her. I grab her wrist gently, but firmly enough that she wouldn't be able to pull it free._

"_Stefan, what do you need?" she sighs, using her free hand to shove her hair out of her face. "You know I promised Damon that I'd be at Game Night at my place tonight. I almost never see Alaric and Jeremy anymore, and it would be nice to find out how they're doing._

"_I need to know what this 'thing' between you and Damon is. _What_ are your feelings for him?" I demand._

"_Stefan, I _told_ you. He's my closest friend. I can talk to him about _everything_ and he doesn't mind," she says, tugging her wrist._

"_But you care for him in more than a friendly fashion," I accuse._

"_What's your _problem_ tonight?" she demands, tugging harder. "Seriously, Stefan, I'm going to be late!"_

"_I'm not hearing a denial," I point out._

"_You're being ridiculous! What brought this on, anyways? I'm with _you._ I love _you._ Why are you constantly bringing up my relationship with Damon?" she demands._

"_Why don't you ever invite _me_ to Game Night?" I snap._

"_Because I didn't think you'd _want_ to go!" she snarls, twisting her hand in such away that enables her to pull it from my grasp. "You never want to play board games with me. That's what we do on Game Night: we play a _lot_ of board games." She places her hands on her hips, raging radiating off her in waves._

That alone should have told me to shut up and let her go to Game Night in peace. But I was determined to get to the bottom of her feelings for Damon, once and for all. I was such a fool.

"_Well, maybe I _want_ to play board games with everyone," I tell her, though I really don't._

_She gives me a look of pure disbelief. "You are _lying_ to me," she hisses. "I thought we were _past_ all the lies, Stefan."_

"_I thought we were past all the secrets, Elena," I retort._

"What_ secrets?" she demands, glaring frostily at me._

"_Oh, come on, what where you saying about lying?" I mock. "I know for a fact that Damon comes to your room every night."_

"_To _talk,"_ she snaps. "If you weren't in such a hurry to avoid listening to _anything_ he and I do, you'd know that. He tells me _every_ time the second your car pulls out of his hearing. Which is within _minutes_ of him opening my door. We like to tell each other what we did during the day as well as vent whatever frustrations are going on. And before you even _start_ asking why I don't do that with you, it is because you never _ask_ me about my day or if anything's going on that's upsetting me. _Damon_ initiates the conversation _every_ night."_

"_He's a murderer, Elena!" I snap._

"_So. Are. You," she snarls, biting off each word as it leaves her lips. I pull back, hurt. "If you're willing to dish it out, be prepared to receive it right back at you. _How_ many people have _you_ killed when you were on human blood? Huh? At least _Damon_ doesn't rip his prey limb from limb as he feeds. At least _Damon_ is actually_ able_ to leave the humans he feeds from _alive."

"_What are you saying?" I demand, suddenly on the defense and _not_ liking it._

"_I'm saying that while Damon _may_ have killed a few more humans in his years as a vampire, _you_ have dealt more damage overall. And yet I'm still willing to be your girlfriend," she says in exasperation. "Damon once told me that a vampire's bite can be one of the most pleasurable things a human can experience, but I will never know what he meant because _you_ can't feed on human blood without going crazy with bloodlust. And one of the few things Damon and I agree on when it comes to you is that the _only_ reason you can't handle human blood is because you never _bothered_ to learn self-control. You go from one extreme to the other. _Damon_ has a full range of middle ground he can cover at will because he _does_ have an admirable amount of self-control."_

"_If you admire him so much, then why aren't you _with_ him?" I ask snidely._

"_Because I met you first."_

_I feel like someone had thrown ice water on me. Dear God, Damon didn't _tell_ her? He didn't _tell_ her that he met her first, on that road the night her parents died? _Why_ didn't he tell her? He could have taken her from me long ago with that little bit of news. Suddenly, I fill with raging fury because I _hadn't_ won her square and fair. Damon had _given in_ to let her be happy. But I've seen her so much happier in _his_ presence than when she was alone in _mine.

"_You know what, forget this. If you're so insistent on being jealous over _nothing,_ then I can't handle being with someone who won't trust me," she sighs sadly. "I will never be unfaithful, but you just can't accept that. So I guess this is it for us as a couple."_

_She turns and walks away as I feel the world start crumbling around me. She had broken up with me. Not because Damon had won her away. Because I couldn't fully trust she wouldn't leave me for him._

_I hear the motorcycle Damon had gotten her start and take off down the driveway. I rush to grab my keys and helmet before vamping to my motorcycle, intent on chasing after her to try to make amends._

I had tried to catch up to her, but she just went even faster when she glanced behind her and spotted me behind her. She kept going faster and faster, trying to get away. Then, as she was glancing back to see if I was still behind her, she ran a red light, right into the path of an eighteen-wheeler. It wasn't even a block from the Gilbert house.

My grief quickly takes over as I relive that horrible crash. I had listened as most of the bones in her body had broken, including her neck. I had watched as her body was dragged under the cab as the trucker tried to stop. Her body was horribly mutilated when they finally managed to get her out from under there. I was by her side in an instant. My heart was weighed down with grief and loss as I gently removed her necklace.

The autopsy revealed that her neck most likely snapped first, before the rest of the massive internal and external damage took place. There were a hundred ways she could have died in that crash, most of them agonizingly painful and slow, comparatively speaking. That her neck had snapped before any of that made her death instant and painless. That's why vampires generally snapped the neck of a human they intend on turning.

Suddenly, a vacancy fills the spot in my heart and soul that had been reserved for my brother. I sigh. Damon has finally given up on life without her. He was at Elena's grave today. I should go pick up his ring before the groundskeeper takes it.

I had known from the day they had met for the second time that I would eventually lose her to Damon. While it may not have happened by relationship status, I had long ago lost her heart to him. I just kept trying to get her to admit it out loud. But that last time, that last argument, was the one that should have pushed her into his arms, where she obviously longed to be. But she had _never_ been unfaithful to me. Not once did she ever cheat on me, in spite of her immense love for Damon. Perhaps they can finally be happy together, wherever they are.

It turns out I was the selfish one all along, not Damon. _He_ had given up a shot at his own happiness and chose to stand by and let Elena and I be happy together, not realizing _she_ was unhappy. _I_ was so selfish that I kept trying to get her to cut the one person who made her _truly_ happy out of her life.

God, I just wish I could wake up from this nightmare that is now my life. I wish I could wake up and set things the way they _should_ be. She _should_ have been allowed the option of growing old at Damon's side or letting him turn her so they could become eternal mates. If I hadn't been so _selfish,_ I would have seen that they loved each other in ways I could only _hope_ to one day experience.

My cell phone starts ringing on the end table next to my chair. I snatch it up immediately and turn it on, putting it to my ear. "What is it, Rick?" I ask. No one else has called my phone since the day we buried Elena.

"Jeremy's dead," is the broken answer. "He hung himself."

I close my eyes in heartache. Three unnecessary deaths, all caused because I was too damn selfish. God, I'm such a fool. Somebody, _please_ come wake me up from this nightmare.


End file.
